Festiwal Łódź of Four Cultures and the Arlekin Puppet Theatre’s PREMIER

The King of Cotton

dir. Arkadiusz Buszko
11 and 12 September, 17:00
FUZJA ŁÓDŹ, address: Tymienieckiego 5/7

He was said to be extremely rich. 
He was said to be greedy, evil and German. 
He was said to have signed a contract with the Devil. 
He was said to be the Devil himself, because he was wearing boots and jodhpurs with the Devil’s tail tucked in. 
He was said to have turned from rags to riches all by himself. 
He was said to be married to a rich lady. 
He was said to be caring, good, and just. 

Truths, lies, legends, myths, facts, and events. 

Who was Karol Wilhelm Scheibler, if he ever existed at all?
Was he the most significant figure in the history of Łódź? Was he a king, emperor or maybe the emperor of cotton? 

A robber baron? A bloodthirsty capitalist? Or maybe a philanthropist and an idealist? 
Was he the one to take or the one to give? 
This industrialist and manufacturer from Rhineland had a tremendous impact on the city in his time. His heritage is visible until the present day, and everyone can see, visit and photograph these remarkable sites. The King of Cotton does not attempt to answer any of the questions mentioned above. The play is rather a difficult yet surprising endeavour to see Scheibler as a human being, to listen to him and understand him, to enter his head and get to know his thoughts, feelings and emotions, everything that determines a person’s life, even (or perhaps in particular) in the case of an individual such as Karol Scheibler. 

---

The play is coproduced by the Łódź of Four Cultures Festival and The Arlekin Puppet Theatre.

 AUTHORS:
Written by: Piotr Rowicki
Directed by: Arkadiusz Buszko
Stage design: Marika Wojciechowska
Music: Tomasz Lewandowski
Video: Aleksandra Ołdak

Cast:
Agata Butwiłowska, Emilia Dryja, Katarzyna Stanisz, Maciej Piotrowski, Wojciech Schabowski, Wojciech Stagenalski. 

Ticket: click here

PARTNERS